DWWA 2024: 18,000+ wines under review at the world’s largest wine competition

More than 18,300 wines from 57 countries have entered the 21st edition of Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) – and the judging is on now.

This week (6-11 May), 250 wine experts from 33 countries have come together in London to evaluate this truly global pool of wines.

One room of four with judges tasting in their regional panels. Credit: Nic-Crilly Hargrave

The imminent results promise to set definitive global standards, serving as essential reference points and recommendations for wine enthusiasts and industry professionals alike.

What’s new

Each year minor adjustments to DWWA judging protocols are meticulously refined, integrating valuable feedback from the expert judges. These modifications uphold the highest standards of judging excellence, ensuring evaluations are consistently at their best.

Addressing 2024 updates to a room of Regional Chairs, Co-Chair Michael Hill Smith AM MW said:

‘What I like about this competition is that we do try and improve everything every year. There was a survey last year and a lot of the information that came back has been used to further tweak.

‘One thing that makes this competition different from others is that one monosyllabic tasting note in a normal wine competition is OK. But here, particularly for the medal winners, they’re actually publishing what you write.’

Michael Hill Smith AM MW briefs a room of Regional Chairs and Senior judges. Credit: Nic Crilly-Hargrave

While descriptive tasting notes for medal winners have